Charm
by Moony1972
Summary: Lily finds out about James being HeadBoy. Written for the QLFC Round 5.


A/N: Seeker of the Puddles. Round 5.

CHARM

Lily entered the Hogwarts Express, beaming to make sure everyone noticed her shiny Head Girl badge. She knew the other Head would be Remus, because, well, all the other Prefects were terrible.

She walked down to the Heads' cabin. It was a shame, because she was not allowed to sit with her friends for the beginning of her last ride. Instead, she had to stay in the Heads' cabin and wait for the Head Boy. Only later would the Prefects come in.

Lily was wildly excited for Hogwarts. It was her final Year, and now she was able to take all the advanced classes she wanted, without the pressure of overloading. People seemed to think that she was addicted to school and wanted straight O's through hard work, but that was just untrue. She loved to have fun just as much as the next person. She never really understood how that persona came to be.

She opened the Head's compartment and stepped inside, looking around. It was nice when it was not full of Prefects. She sat down on the bench and waited, tapping her foot.

Just as she was starting to get comfortable, she heard a knock on the glass. Lily gawked in shock. Then the door opened. Lily was still gawking in shock.

"Even you know, Potter, you're not allowed here," she said as the messy-haired boy took a seat. "You're not supposed to crash."

"Who's to say I'm crashing?" James asked.

"Well," Lily sighed and started to explain. "You're sitting in the chair you shouldn't be. And you're simply waiting to ask me out. The answer is 'no'. Never will."

James laughed, "I'm not here to ask you out." He lounged back on the bench.

"Then why are you here? Remus won't be coming until much later."

James rolled his eyes. Lily hated it when he tried to seem smarter than her. It was such a turnoff. Of course, she wouldn't tell him that because if she did, James might actually start to do something that she likes, and then she would be turned on. She definitely did not want that.

James was rustling through his robes; Lily was inching in her chair, trying to see.

"I'm here because of this."

"A letter?"

"Yes, it instructed me to come here."

"Oh, this is stupid," Lily said, snatching the letter. "Quidditch captains aren't allowed to hang -" Lily's mouth dropped open as she stared at the badge, and the letter that was obviously addressed to James.

"Like what you see?" James drawled, smirking.

"Wow, Potter, this is an elaborate prank, even for you," Lily said.

"Man, you really don't want to think of the possibility of me being a Head," James said, before thinking, "Hey! Wait, I could do any prank in the world."

"Yeah, yeah," Lily said, waving her hand as if to push James' words away. "I don't want to see it. Now, please go find the actual Head, because I am tired of seeing your ugly mug."

"I would," James trailed off. "But I can't. I am the real Head."

If this were fiction, Lily was certain she would have screamed. Unfortunately, this was real life, so there was no way to get her shock and disapproval out.

"Dumbledore made you Head?" She asked, almost screaming.

"Yeah. And he made you Head," James said, winking. "Now we're both Head."

"Oh, this is so bad. This is so very, very bad."

"Evans, calm down," James said. "It's not like you're seeing me naked or something."

"That would be better!" Lily exclaimed, without thinking. James raises his eyebrows. "No, it wouldn't, but this is so bad! I have to work with you all year for my last year of Hogwarts, which is supposed to be about making good memories?"

"I think we could make many fine memories to last a lifetime. Honestly, Evans, it's going to be hard to work with you if you're going to constantly say, 'oh, this is so very bad,' the whole time."

Lily scoffed at James mockery of her worries. "Now, Potter, imagine if I were any other girl. Wouldn't you be feeling the same way?"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't say it to her face. That's just plain insensitive," James said.

Lily blinked. Was she being insensitive?

"But you're Potter! You don't count," she said, before clasping her hands over her mouth.

James stared at Lily. "So, because I have a crush on you, I no longer count as a human being?"

"That's not what I meant," Lily said, trying to will her words to be reversed. Even magic couldn't do it properly.

"Then, what did you mean, Evans?"

Lily blanked. "That...is what I meant. I'm sorry, Potter."

James smiled. "Nah, it's fine."

"Really?"

"Aw, so now Evans cares about the un-human James!"

"Shut up," Lily said, and unsurprisingly, James listened. "Okay, Potter, we are going to have to come up with a speech."

"I do like coming up together with you," James said suavely.

"That didn't even make sense," Lily pointed out. "But before that, I want to declare a truce."

"I do like truces with you," James said in the same, stupid, suave voice.

"Okay, so, we can be friends if you promise not to prank me or ask me out. This way, the year can be so much smoother because you won't be in the Hospital Wing as much."

"Where did that come from?" James asked.

"I was thinking about making a truce this summer. Because it is embarrassing, having to turn you down all the time, I mean."

"Or, you've just finally fallen for the Potter charm. Thinking about me all summer. I like the thought of that," James said.

"Potter, watch it."

"Because if you want to go out with me, you can just say so. Besides-"

"-Don't ask me out, Potter," Lily warned.

"...You should go out with me," James said. "Because you love me. After all, you were thinking about me all summer."

"Potter! The more times you say it, the more annoyed I'm getting."

"I could tell by your really red face."

"Potter, the speech," Lily instructed, getting bored with the harmless banter. There was no harmless banter with James. That simply was not allowed.

"Yeah, the speech," James said, rolling his eyes. "I can't believe you're making me work before school's even started. Besides, haven't you come up with one already? I have no clue what to say in these speeches."

Lily exaggerated a gasp. "James Potter has no clue?"

"I know, you see me as an all-knowing deity, but, Evans, I am human."

"Stop saying that. You're making me feel guilty."

"And what? You shouldn't be feeling guilty over that?" James asked, shaking his head. "It's okay, Evans. I forgive you."

"I'm so sorry. It's just - never mind."

"Tell me."

"I can't."

"Is it some other rude comment you were planning to make?"

"No!" Lily denied, looking a little flustered. "It's just, well, just forget it. We should work on the speech. The long time we had has now become a medium time."

"It was only five minutes," James said, although he took out a quill and parchment.

Lily was impressed.

"Oh, and I'll agree to the truce, Evans. I don't want to fight, but you can't stop me from asking you out. Or dragging you to Hogsmeade."

"Fine."

Lily admired James perseverance. It was nice for her self esteem.

.oOo.

"Go to Hogsmeade?" James asked, as he walked by Lily.

Lily shook her head as she laughed. "Sure."

James continued to walk by.

"Potter! I said 'yes'!"

James paused and turned around. "What?"

"I'll go on one date with you."

Lily had never felt so giddy for a date in her life. She had never genuinely liked the other people. But she had definitely fallen for the James Potter charm. It had only taken her seven years.

THE END

A/N: What'd you think? I know it's cliche, but I think it's a little different than the other stories like this.


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